Russian fare includes an assortment of food from Ukraine, Armenia, Lithuania, Georgia and Poland since they all have large Russian populations. Unsurprisingly, in a food-loving city like San Francisco, diners can find a range of Russian foods from all of these countries. From borscht to dumplings to pavlova, there is something to satisfy every craving for Russian cuisine in San Francisco.

20th Century Cafe

Open every day of the week in Hayes Valley, 20th Century Cafe has a wide array of Russian food items on its menu. It is perhaps best known for its Russian honey cake, which includes layer upon layer of soft cake interspersed with salted honey buttercream. The café also sells bagels made in house, pierogis, smoked salmon and potato knishes.

Beluga Restaurant

Beluga Restaurant in Richmond is sure to make an impact on any event with its extensive Russian food menu. People can rent the banquet hall, which accommodates up to 120 occupants. Guests can have the hall’s tables and chairs arranged in a variety of configurations. The room also contains a bar and facilities to play music and videos. There are three different menus from which customers can choose and they’re priced on a per person basis. The banquet menus include a variety of pickles, smoked seafood, charcuterie, salads, tartlets, caviar, Russian crepes, fish, barbecued meats and dessert.

Cinderella Russian Bakery & Cafe

Situated in Inner Richmond and opened in 1953, Cinderella Russian Bakery & Cafe is the Bay Area’s oldest traditional Russian bakery. It makes its breads, sweet and savory pastries and cakes fresh daily. Customers can stop into the café for breakfast or lunch. The menu’s Russian specialties include a range of dumplings served with sour cream or in a soup, blinchiki with a variety of fillings, stroganoff, stuffed cabbage, borsch and herring salad. Those who want to take their Russian delights home or on the go may want to opt for the house made rye breads, piroshki with different fillings, Siberian savory pies or one of the many Russian pastries.

These three restaurants are proof positive that locals and visitors to the City by the Bay don’t need to travel overseas to get the Russian cuisine they crave. Any of these options are sure to fit the bill, but do keep in mind that traffic in the city is slow — allow extra travel time to get where you need to be.